Kung meron ngang oil diyan then we can expect help from Uncle Sam when the going gets tough.

Kung wala namang oil, eh, di wala...

There are multiple reasons why the neighboring nations would be interested in the Spratly Islands. In 1968 oil was discovered in the region. The Geology and Mineral Resources Ministry of the People's Republic of China (PRC) has estimated that the Spratly area holds oil and natural gas reserves of 17.7 billion tons (1.60 × 1010 kg), as compared to the 13 billion tons (1.17 × 1010 kg) held by Kuwait, placing it as the fourth largest reserve bed in the world. Naturally, these large reserves assisted in intensifying the situation and propelled the territorial claims of the neighboring countries.

In 1968, the Philippines started to take their claims a bit more seriously and stationed troops on three islands which had been claimed by the adventurer Tomas Cloma as part of Freedomland.[27] In 1973 Vietnamese troops were stationed on five islands.[28]

On 11 March 1976, the first major Philippine oil discovery occurred off the coast of Palawan, within the Spratly Islands territory, and these oil fields now account for fifteen percent of all petroleum consumed in the Philippines. In 1992, the PRC and Vietnam granted oil exploration contracts to U.S. oil companies that covered overlapping areas in the Spratlys. In May 1992, the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Crestone Energy (a U.S. company based in Denver, Colorado) signed a cooperation contract for the joint exploration of the Wan'an Bei-21 block, a 25,155 km˛ section of the southwestern South China Sea that includes Spratly Island areas. Part of the Crestone's contract covered Vietnam's blocks 133 and 134, where PetroVietnam, PetroStar Energy(USA) and ConocoPhillips Vietnam Exploration & Production, a unit of ConocoPhillips, agreed to evaluate prospects in April 1992. This led to a confrontation between China and Vietnam, with each demanding that the other cancel its contract.

You are Dumb if you Expect the USA to go to Our Side vs China, Mas malaki pakinabang ng USA sa China kaysa Pinas

We are talking about the Spratly Islands issue and its potential for vast oil deposits.

Do you think the US will let China lay claim to the Spratly Islands wholly and exclusively? Do you think China will share the resources with the US? Sa Iran and North Korea issue nga lang hirap na ang US to convince China, eh.

Now, compare to the idea that the Philippines will lay claim to it and the US will be a joint partner in developing the resources there. How do I know that the Philippines will share it with the US? Just take a look into the rich Philippine history.

In 1968 oil was discovered in the region. The Geology and Mineral Resources Ministry of the People's Republic of China (PRC) has estimated that the Spratly area holds oil and natural gas reserves of 17.7 billion tons (1.60 × 1010 kg), as compared to the 13 billion tons (1.17 × 1010 kg) held by Kuwait, placing it as the fourth largest reserve bed in the world. Naturally, these large reserves assisted in intensifying the situation and propelled the territorial claims of the neighboring countries.